by Jamie Beck
“Hi!” Ali extended her hand to Kelsey. “Trip and I were reminiscing about our summer climbing excursion.”
“Nice to meet you.” She briefly glanced at Trip, her demeanor almost as chilly as his draft beer. “With ski season on the horizon, I suppose you two can hook up on the mountain again soon.”
He didn’t know if Ali caught the wordplay, but he certainly hadn’t missed the hook-up remark. Kelsey may have been on the verge of tears, but his princess still knew how to push back on him, God love her.
“That’s right.” Ali touched his arm. “We talked about a backcountry tour, didn’t we?”
“We did. So give us a call once some serious snow falls.” Trip tossed ten bucks on the bar. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got dinner plans.”
Once he and Kelsey were settled at a table with menus, he gave her a questioning look. “Okay, what’s going on with you? You don’t expect me not to talk to clients, do you?”
“You can do whatever you want.” She barely looked at him, pretending instead to be studying a menu he suspected she knew inside and out. “In fact, I’m quite sure you will regardless of how I feel about it.”
Trip grabbed the top of her menu and pushed it down on the table. “Jealousy can be cute to a point, but don’t go overboard. I didn’t do anything today except buy you some gifts.”
“I’m not jealous, but for the record, buying gifts doesn’t excuse you from being insensitive.” She sat back, betrayal written all over her face. On closer inspection, she looked more defeated than jealous. He didn’t know why until she spoke again with a quivering voice. “I got a call from Nick Copeland on my way out of the office. Surely you have an idea of how that conversation went, don’t you?”
“Based on your mood, I’d guess it didn’t go as you and Wade had hoped.” He swallowed the rest of his beer along with a tiny dose of guilt. Apparently Bob Russell hadn’t wasted a single moment after their afternoon meeting. Who knew he’d be so efficient?
“Based on my mood? Please don’t play dumb with me or I’ll reach across this table, grab that Stetson, and stomp all over it.” She sat forward, her voice tight. “I don’t know how you and your posse got a copy of that study so easily, but I do know you’re screwing with a deal that will benefit the Copeland heirs and this whole town.”
“And you,” he added, irked by the pretense her anger had any altruistic basis. “If we’re putting all our cards on the table, the least you could do is be honest about what’s really got you upset. This is about what you could gain.”
“Darn straight, that’s a big part of it!” Defiance flickered in her eyes. Her cheeks glowed as red as summer strawberries. If she could have shot lasers from her eyes, he’d be dead, no doubt.
Better he face her anger than her tears. But rather than match her high emotion, he beat back his irritation and calmly nodded. “And you blame me.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’ve already admitted to being the ‘Concerned Citizen,’ and I know you’ve been stirring up all the local retailers.”
“You’ve got that wrong. Wade and his big project stirred up the local retailers. All I did was make sure everyone was fully informed of the impact of Wade’s plans before things went too far. Apparently my concerns were on the mark.”
“That study barely skims all the benefits of the project on tourism, on tax revenue, and a bunch of other stuff.” She sat back, shaking her head, eyes brimming with fresh tears. “You know that commission money will come in handy now more than ever. I really thought, once we officially got together, you’d stop working against me. Honestly, I thought you cared about me. That we were a team now.”
“I do care, dammit. But I never promised to back down from my plans to stop this development.” He reached across the table for her hand, but she withdrew it. “I haven’t asked you to back off as some kind of proof of your feelings for me, have I? Besides, if this deal falls apart, it’s just a delay for you, not a loss. You’ll get a commission whenever the Copelands sell that land to someone who has a better project in mind.”
“You have no idea how rare it is to be the sole broker in a deal. Plus, Wade is willing to pay top dollar for that land. Neither of those things are likely to happen again if this deal dies.” She pinched the bridge of her nose to stave off her tears. In an embittered voice, she said, “I’m sure every other offer on that property is going to meet with the same attack from your group, so don’t pacify me with this false hope of some better use. There is none.”
“Not true. Someone could come up with an idea that benefits the town. In fact, that spot would be a great place for a sports park, with unpaved parking, a football field, baseball diamond, a playground, and maybe even a skateboard park. None of that would destroy existing businesses or the environment. And those would be great resources for kids, teens, and families.”
Kelsey’s mouth opened and then closed while she considered his suggestion. “That’s a beautiful idea, but since there’s little to no return on that investment for a developer, it’s unlikely.” She sunk her chin into her palm and stared at the candle between them. Despite believing he was doing the right thing for the community, her frustrated dreams nipped at his conscience. “The bottom line is that you know how much this deal means to me. You know I’m counting on it so I can afford to buy that apartment building for our future. The fact our future means so little to you tells me maybe this—” she gestured between them, “isn’t what I’d thought.”
Her soft-spoken words tore through his chest with the force of an ice pick. “Princess, this is important to me, but I said at the outset I wouldn’t be perfect. It’s going to take us more than a few weeks or months to come to know and understand each other. But let me tell you, if you think being in a relationship means I’ve got to always back down when you want your way, well, no man will ever live up to that expectation. You’ve got to trust me when I say I’m invested in our future, and I promise I’m going to help raise this child, which includes paying for everything.”
Kelsey fiddled with her fork, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes. “I admire you and Grey making a go of your business, so no offense intended here, but Backtrax isn’t raking in the cash. Babies are expensive. School, clothes, lessons, college . . .”
“Trust me, Kelsey, our baby won’t have any money worries.” Trip shifted in his seat, as uncomfortable as ever when thinking about his giant trust fund.
“Good intentions won’t bring in the serious money I could clear on Wade’s latest proposal.” She sipped her lemon water, her emotions fading as she swung into business mode.
“I have money.” He crossed his arms and stretched out his legs. “Serious money.”
Kelsey narrowed her eyes. “From what? Gigolo services on the side?”
His body heat jumped ten degrees thanks to her sarcasm. “I didn’t say billions, princess.” He immediately regretted his snide remark. “It doesn’t matter why I have it, I just do.”
She sat back, her lips twitching.
“So you won’t tell me more? Don’t you trust me?” Now she had the audacity to look hurt, like she hadn’t just insulted him six ways to Sunday. He couldn’t help but laugh at the whole situation: him trying and failing to understand this frustrating, sexy woman.
“You’re a handful in more ways than one, you know that?” When she cocked a brow, he leaned forward and took hold of her hand. His muscles relaxed, his pulse slowed.
She shrugged and sat back in her seat, pulling away from him. “Guess we’ve both got to take the good with the bad. Is that a problem?”
“Not for me.” He polished off his beer and nodded at the waitress to bring another.
The weight of Kelsey’s scrutiny hung on his shoulders. She pressed her lips together while she creased her napkin like a fan. “Trip, tell me about where you got this money.” She playfully smirked. “Otherwise I’m going to worry about having to bring our baby to visit you in jail.”
He sighed, knowing he’d hav
e to tell the truth sooner or later. “My dad set up a substantial trust fund when he adopted me.” He shifted in his seat again, glancing around the restaurant looking for the waitress who should be bringing him his much-needed next drink.
“So you’ve had money for most of your life?” Kelsey’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Then why do you drive that beater van and share that dingy little apartment with Grey?”
“I don’t touch the money.” Wincing, he sighed. “At least I never did until recently, when I needed a little to buy into Backtrax.”
“Why not?” Her bewilderment softened the probing question, but it still pricked at the base of his skull.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Because I always thought of it as bribe money. Like my dad thought he could buy his way out of his mistakes, or buy my love or something. I don’t know exactly. I only knew I couldn’t be a hypocrite and take the money while keeping my distance.”
Kelsey drummed her fingers against the table, apparently deep in thought. Her compassionate eyes studied him as she reached across the table to touch his hand. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard time with your family. Makes me realize how much I take my own situation for granted. But do you really think he’s trying to buy your love? Maybe he just wanted to give you a sense of security.”
“Or save on taxes,” Trip scoffed. It occurred to him Kelsey had better understand he had no interest in living the high life. “Listen, I’ve never been, and will never be, interested in being part of that moneyed world. My life was happier poor than it ever was with my rich family. And from what I observed among my parents’ friends, wealth can be a booby trap of stress, competition, and paranoia.”
“I wouldn’t know.” She grinned and sipped her water.
“In all seriousness, I’m happy with simple things. And I don’t want my kids to define themselves by any kind of price tag.” He stared at her, making sure she understood the importance of that value.
“Neither do I, Trip. And I hope you know, my feelings for you have nothing to do with your money or how you can make my life easier.”
“I know.” Not only hadn’t Kelsey known about his wealth until five minutes ago, she also still hadn’t asked him how much he had, which proved she had no plans to take him to the cleaners. “Let’s drop the whole thing, except for the fact that now you can relax about whether or not you end up with that big commission.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Not really. It’s great that you’re willing to draw from your trust for our child, but it’s your money. You throw yourself off cliffs for a living, so what if something happens to you? My career—and deals like Wade’s—are still important to me, and I’m going to fight you on this one until the bitter end. I have to be able to provide for myself and this baby because, bottom line, you and I aren’t married.”
The melancholy tone of her voice at the end of her diatribe sank in his gut like an anchor, making him ache. Married. It was what she’d most wanted. What, originally, he’d promised to help her achieve. And what he could not give her now.
Maybe not ever.
If only he could convince her that marriage wasn’t a panacea. That they could be great together without a piece of paper forcing them to be a couple. That, even if their relationship didn’t last forever, he’d make sure she was always taken care of.
“If something happens to me, then my trust funds will go directly to any and all of my children.” He squeezed her hand, unable to make more than a promise he knew he could keep. “I promise you, you’ll never have to worry about needing money to raise our child, okay?”
She barely looked at him as she forced a lame grin on her face. “Okay.”
Without saying more, she lifted the menu and hid her face. This time he didn’t make her put it down, because he couldn’t bear to see her so dejected.
“Do you know why Avery wanted us to all meet at my office before work?” Kelsey asked Emma while handing her a cup of coffee.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “But she sounded excited.”
Kelsey slid into her chair and sipped her decaffeinated drink, missing the high-octane version. To her right sat a copy of the blasted impact study that threatened her sale. She hated the possibility of losing the battle, but had worked all night to convince herself that being with Trip and having this baby were ultimately the more important prize. She was so close to having the life she’d dreamed about for so long. If only he’d put a ring on her finger and promise to love her forever.
“I hope, at eight weeks into this pregnancy, you’re not still experiencing morning sickness for too much longer.” Emma leaned forward, apparently interested in discussing the baby situation.
“At least it goes away by midday.” Kelsey rubbed her temple. “Lately it’s these headaches that are killing me. I think it must be caffeine withdrawal.”
“Maybe you should check with your doctor,” Emma suggested, then bit her lip before speaking again, her voice somewhat tentative. “Is Trip being helpful?”
Sure, if you don’t count him screwing up my career goals.
“He’s been surprisingly cute about everything. Making sure I’m eating right, helping do things around my house so I don’t have to stress or strain, buying all kinds of pregnancy stuff, acting excited about ‘junior’ instead of terrified or resentful, like I first expected.”
“So you’re happy?” Emma edged forward, her eyes wide with hope. “I mean, I know you’ve always wanted to be a mom, but I also know how much you really want to be a wife.”
“I’m not overthinking that part, at least not yet.” Kelsey took a long sip of coffee and avoided Emma’s gaze. Her friends knew her too well. Being a wife had been a lifelong priority, so of course she wanted to marry Trip, especially now that they were having a baby.
First, however, he’d actually have to declare his love for her—a milestone they hadn’t yet reached. And considering the way he was attacking the Copeland deal, maybe he didn’t care quite as much as she’d hoped. Maybe she’d never be able to read any man’s intentions right, not even Trip’s. Was she foolish to believe a freewheeler like Trip could commit? Maybe she shouldn’t go borrowing trouble. “I think all Trip needs is more time to adjust to all the changes.”
At that moment, Avery swept into the office wearing a smile as broad as the Grand Canyon. Without a word, she held her left hand up in the air and wiggled her ring finger.
“Oh my God!” Emma jumped up, her gaze fixed on the sparkling diamond ring now at home on Avery’s hand, and rocked Avery back and forth in a hug. “Oh my God, congratulations!”
Kelsey schooled her features, rose from her chair, and walked around her desk to join in the group hug. After easing away, Kelsey grabbed Avery’s hand, studying the ring: a round-cut diamond simply set in platinum. Probably somewhere between one-half and one carat in size. Very classic. Very Grey.
“I didn’t even know you guys were talking about marriage.” Kelsey mentally ripped apart the envy lacing her happiness for Avery. She smiled, although she couldn’t lie to herself and pretend it didn’t gall her that Avery, the girl who never wanted to be anyone’s wife, would be married before her. Avery, who’d kept Grey at arm’s length for months, was living out Kelsey’s dream of perfect romantic love and she wasn’t even pregnant!
“We weren’t. He totally surprised me yesterday afternoon.” Avery beamed as she recounted the details of Grey’s proposal. “We took Shaman on a hike, back to the place where we had our first official date. Then, out of the blue, Grey bent down on his good knee, all traditional, and asked me to be his wife.”
“And you said yes!” Kelsey shoved aside her petty envy and grabbed Avery again, bouncing a bit on her toes. After all, she’d always been a sucker for romance. “Finally you’ve joined the rest of the world in believing in love. This calls for a big celebration! Jeez, Ave, why in the heck did you choose now to share this news? I’ve got a full plate today.”
“Sorry! I was just so excited, and I didn’t wan
t to risk you guys hearing it on the street before I had a chance to tell you.” Avery smiled and looked at her own hand again before clasping it in the other and bringing them to her chest.
Avery had succumbed to love. If Avery could be swayed, then so could Trip. That thought prompted a little jolt of excitement.
“Can I ask what changed your mind about marriage?” Kelsey leaned against the edge of her desk and crossed her arms, waiting for the key she needed to unlock Trip’s heart and drive out his reservations. “You pretty much swore you’d never be anyone’s wife.”
Avery shrugged. “I don’t know. Grey’s different. He lets me be who I am without trying to change me. I trust him.”
Kelsey frowned. Avery’s answers were too darn generic to be helpful. “When did you know that you wanted only him for the rest of your life?”
Avery cocked her head, looking thoughtful. She tapped a finger to her lips before glancing at Emma and Kelsey. “Maybe when he helped Andy with the prosecutor even after my family and I hurt him? I don’t really know. It’s not like something suddenly hit me over the head. I didn’t even expect the proposal, but I also didn’t hesitate to say yes. “
“You two make an awesome couple. I can’t wait for the wedding.” Emma clapped excitedly. “Can I bake the wedding cake?”
“Of course!” Avery laughed.
“Chocolate hazelnut cake with buttercream icing, right?” Emma smiled, knowing Avery’s favorite dessert.
“Perfect.” Avery glanced at her watch, then her ring finger, then her friends. “Well, hate to dash, but I’ve got a patient in ten minutes. Maybe we can get together for dinner this week?”
“Sounds great,” Kelsey replied.
The friends hugged again before Avery exited the office. Kelsey wistfully watched Avery jog down the street and then sighed.